-
Devices and Desires
- Bess of Hardwick and the Building of Elizabethan England
- Narrated by: Heather Wilds
- Length: 11 hrs and 58 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Devices and Desires
Buy for $25.19
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Hunting the Falcon
- Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, and the Marriage That Shook Europe
- By: John Guy, Julia Fox
- Narrated by: Stephanie Racine
- Length: 17 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 52
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 50
Hunting the Falcon is the story of how Henry VIII’s obsessive desire for Anne Boleyn changed him and his country forever. John Guy and Julia Fox, two of the most acclaimed and distinguished historians of this period, have joined forces to present Anne and Henry in startlingly new ways.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Superb book and superb narration!
- By Buffy Martin Tarbox on 11-01-23
By: John Guy, and others
-
Young Queens
- Three Renaissance Women and the Price of Power
- By: Leah Redmond Chang
- Narrated by: Olivia Dowd
- Length: 18 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 41
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 41
Orphaned from infancy, Catherine de’ Medici endured a tumultuous childhood. Married to the French king, she was widowed by forty, only to become the power behind the French throne during a period of intense civil strife. In 1546, Catherine gave birth to a daughter, Elisabeth de Valois, who would become Queen of Spain. Two years later, Catherine welcomed to her nursery the beguiling young Mary Queen of Scots, who would later become her daughter-in-law. Together, Catherine, Elisabeth, and Mary lived through the sea changes that transformed sixteenth-century Europe.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent writing, engaging narration
- By WEHOcloset on 09-22-23
-
A Woman of Influence
- The Spectacular Rise of Alice Spencer in Tudor England
- By: Vanessa Wilkie
- Narrated by: Imogen Church
- Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5
Alice Spencer was born in 1560 to a family on the rise. Her grandfather had amassed a sizeable estate of fertile grazing land and made a small fortune in sheep farming, allowing him to purchase a simple but distinguished manor house called Althorp. With her sizable dowry, Alice married the heir to one of the most powerful aristocratic families in the country, eventually becoming the Countess of Derby. Though she enjoyed modest renown, it wasn’t until her husband’s sudden death that Alice and her family’s future changed forever.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Outstanding Performance
- By Rose Hallett on 04-14-24
By: Vanessa Wilkie
-
Unruly
- The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens
- By: David Mitchell
- Narrated by: David Mitchell
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 465
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 426
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 425
In Unruly, David Mitchell explores how early England’s monarchs, while acting as feared rulers firmly guiding their subjects’ destinies, were in reality a bunch of lucky bastards who were mostly as silly and weird in real life as they appear today in their portraits.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Hugely Entertaining (If You Like English History)
- By Jean Ogg on 10-09-23
By: David Mitchell
-
Conquered
- The Last Children of Anglo-Saxon England
- By: Eleanor Parker
- Narrated by: Kristin Atherton
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8
The Battle of Hastings and its aftermath nearly wiped out the leading families of Anglo-Saxon England—so what happened to the children this conflict left behind? Conquered offers a fresh take on the Norman Conquest by exploring the lives of those children, who found themselves uprooted by the dramatic events of 1066. Among them were the children of Harold Godwineson and his brothers, survivors of a family shattered by violence who were led by their courageous grandmother Gytha to start again elsewhere.
By: Eleanor Parker
-
Crown & Sceptre
- A New History of the British Monarchy, from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II
- By: Tracy Borman
- Narrated by: Tracy Borman
- Length: 20 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 135
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 121
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 120
Since William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy, crossed the English Channel in 1066 to defeat King Harold II and unite England’s various kingdoms, 41 kings and queens have sat on Britain’s throne. “Shining examples of royal power and majesty alongside a rogue’s gallery of weak, lazy, or evil monarchs,” as Tracy Borman describes them in her sparkling chronicle, Crown & Sceptre.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great book for those new to the monarchy
- By Chris Corsini on 04-05-22
By: Tracy Borman
-
Hunting the Falcon
- Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, and the Marriage That Shook Europe
- By: John Guy, Julia Fox
- Narrated by: Stephanie Racine
- Length: 17 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 52
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 50
Hunting the Falcon is the story of how Henry VIII’s obsessive desire for Anne Boleyn changed him and his country forever. John Guy and Julia Fox, two of the most acclaimed and distinguished historians of this period, have joined forces to present Anne and Henry in startlingly new ways.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Superb book and superb narration!
- By Buffy Martin Tarbox on 11-01-23
By: John Guy, and others
-
Young Queens
- Three Renaissance Women and the Price of Power
- By: Leah Redmond Chang
- Narrated by: Olivia Dowd
- Length: 18 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 41
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 41
Orphaned from infancy, Catherine de’ Medici endured a tumultuous childhood. Married to the French king, she was widowed by forty, only to become the power behind the French throne during a period of intense civil strife. In 1546, Catherine gave birth to a daughter, Elisabeth de Valois, who would become Queen of Spain. Two years later, Catherine welcomed to her nursery the beguiling young Mary Queen of Scots, who would later become her daughter-in-law. Together, Catherine, Elisabeth, and Mary lived through the sea changes that transformed sixteenth-century Europe.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent writing, engaging narration
- By WEHOcloset on 09-22-23
-
A Woman of Influence
- The Spectacular Rise of Alice Spencer in Tudor England
- By: Vanessa Wilkie
- Narrated by: Imogen Church
- Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5
Alice Spencer was born in 1560 to a family on the rise. Her grandfather had amassed a sizeable estate of fertile grazing land and made a small fortune in sheep farming, allowing him to purchase a simple but distinguished manor house called Althorp. With her sizable dowry, Alice married the heir to one of the most powerful aristocratic families in the country, eventually becoming the Countess of Derby. Though she enjoyed modest renown, it wasn’t until her husband’s sudden death that Alice and her family’s future changed forever.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Outstanding Performance
- By Rose Hallett on 04-14-24
By: Vanessa Wilkie
-
Unruly
- The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens
- By: David Mitchell
- Narrated by: David Mitchell
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 465
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 426
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 425
In Unruly, David Mitchell explores how early England’s monarchs, while acting as feared rulers firmly guiding their subjects’ destinies, were in reality a bunch of lucky bastards who were mostly as silly and weird in real life as they appear today in their portraits.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Hugely Entertaining (If You Like English History)
- By Jean Ogg on 10-09-23
By: David Mitchell
-
Conquered
- The Last Children of Anglo-Saxon England
- By: Eleanor Parker
- Narrated by: Kristin Atherton
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8
The Battle of Hastings and its aftermath nearly wiped out the leading families of Anglo-Saxon England—so what happened to the children this conflict left behind? Conquered offers a fresh take on the Norman Conquest by exploring the lives of those children, who found themselves uprooted by the dramatic events of 1066. Among them were the children of Harold Godwineson and his brothers, survivors of a family shattered by violence who were led by their courageous grandmother Gytha to start again elsewhere.
By: Eleanor Parker
-
Crown & Sceptre
- A New History of the British Monarchy, from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II
- By: Tracy Borman
- Narrated by: Tracy Borman
- Length: 20 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 135
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 121
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 120
Since William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy, crossed the English Channel in 1066 to defeat King Harold II and unite England’s various kingdoms, 41 kings and queens have sat on Britain’s throne. “Shining examples of royal power and majesty alongside a rogue’s gallery of weak, lazy, or evil monarchs,” as Tracy Borman describes them in her sparkling chronicle, Crown & Sceptre.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great book for those new to the monarchy
- By Chris Corsini on 04-05-22
By: Tracy Borman
-
The Good Wife of Bath
- A Novel
- By: Karen Brooks
- Narrated by: Fran Burgoyne
- Length: 19 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 444
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 391
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 390
England, 1364: When married off at aged twelve to an elderly farmer, brazen redheaded Eleanor quickly realizes it won’t matter what she says or does, God is not on her side—or any poor woman’s for that matter. But then again, Eleanor was born under the joint signs of Venus and Mars, making her both a lover and a fighter.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting, funny and thought provoking
- By Dawn Umstot on 07-01-22
By: Karen Brooks
-
Jane Austen at Home
- A Biography
- By: Lucy Worsley
- Narrated by: Ruth Redman
- Length: 14 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 574
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 504
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 501
Take a trip back to Jane Austen's world and the many places she lived as historian Lucy Worsley visits Austen's childhood home, her schools, her holiday accommodations, the houses - both grand and small - of the relations upon whom she was dependent, and the home she shared with her mother and sister towards the end of her life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
As a Devoted Janeite - I loved this book!
- By Dorothy on 07-17-17
By: Lucy Worsley
-
Two Houses, Two Kingdoms
- A History of France and England, 1100-1300
- By: Catherine Hanley
- Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
- Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
The twelfth and thirteenth centuries were a time of personal monarchy, when the close friendship or petty feuding between kings and queens could determine the course of history. The Capetians of France and the Angevins of England waged war, made peace, and intermarried. In this lively history, Catherine Hanley traces the great clashes, and occasional friendships, of the two dynasties. Along the way, she emphasizes the fascinating and influential women of the houses—including Eleanor of Aquitaine—and shows how personalities and familial bonds shaped the fate of two countries.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great book with a bit of slant
- By Ky on 12-20-22
By: Catherine Hanley
-
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
- By: Alison Weir
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 22 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,938
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,620
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,599
This acclaimed best seller from popular historian Alison Weir is a fascinating look at the Tudor family dynasty and its most infamous ruler. The Six Wives of Henry VIII brings to life England’s oft-married monarch and the six wildly different but equally fascinating women who married him. Gripping from the first sentence to the last and loaded with fascinating details, Weir’s rich history is a perfect blend of scholarship and entertainment.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Overview AND Sordid Details
- By Troy on 10-29-13
By: Alison Weir
-
The Women of the Cousins' War
- The Duchess, the Queen and the King's Mother
- By: Philippa Gregory, David Baldwin, Michael Jones
- Narrated by: Bianca Amato
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 495
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 449
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 450
In her essay on Jacquetta, Philippa Gregory uses original documents, archaeology and histories of myth and witchcraft to create the first-ever biography of the young duchess who was to survive two reigns and two wars to become the first lady at two rival courts. David Baldwin, established author on the Wars of the Roses, tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the first commoner to marry a king of England for love, and Michael Jones, fellow of the Royal Historical Society, writes of Margaret Beaufort, the almost-unknown matriarch of the House of Tudor. The Women of the Cousins’ War will appeal to all.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great book
- By Stacey Wallace on 11-14-11
By: Philippa Gregory, and others
-
Henry VIII: King and Court
- By: Alison Weir
- Narrated by: Phyllida Nash
- Length: 25 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 451
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 405
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 401
This magnificent biography of Henry VIII is set against the cultural, social and political background of his court - the most spectacular court ever seen in England - and the splendour of his many sumptuous palaces. An entertaining narrative packed with colourful description and a wealth of anecdotal evidence, but also a comprehensive analytical study of the development of both monarch and court during a crucial period in English history.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A concise focus with tremendous detail
- By kwdayboise (Kim Day) on 05-24-17
By: Alison Weir
-
Young and Damned and Fair
- The Life of Catherine Howard, Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII
- By: Mr. Gareth Russell
- Narrated by: Jenny Funnell
- Length: 15 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 311
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 282
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 279
Written with an exciting combination of narrative flair and historical authority, this interpretation of the tragic life of Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII, breaks new ground in our understanding of the very young woman who became queen at a time of unprecedented social and political tension and whose terrible errors in judgment quickly led her to the executioner's block.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Magnifent scholarly work
- By Linda Erlich on 08-08-17
-
The Lady of the Rivers
- By: Philippa Gregory
- Narrated by: Bianca Amato
- Length: 19 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6,580
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,854
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,834
Jacquetta always has had the gift of second sight. As a child visiting her uncle, she met his prisoner, Joan of Arc, and saw her own power reflected in the young woman accused of witchcraft. They share the mystery of the tarot card of the wheel of fortune before Joan is taken to a horrific death. Jacquetta understands the danger for a woman who dares to dream. Jacquetta is married to the Duke of Bedford, English regent of France, and he introduces her to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Philippa back on track
- By Bonnie-Ann on 11-26-11
By: Philippa Gregory
-
Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I
- The Mother and Daughter Who Forever Changed British History
- By: Tracy Borman
- Narrated by: Tracy Borman
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 73
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 65
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 65
Anne Boleyn may be best known for losing her head, but as Tudor expert Tracy Borman reveals in a book that recasts British history, her greatest legacy lies in the path-breaking reign of her daughter, Elizabeth.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Brimming with Inaccuracies
- By Marie A. on 06-20-23
By: Tracy Borman
-
The Norman Conquest
- The Battle of Hastings and the Fall of Anglo-Saxon England
- By: Marc Morris
- Narrated by: Frazer Douglas
- Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 990
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 866
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 861
An upstart French duke who sets out to conquer the most powerful and unified kingdom in Christendom. An invasion force on a scale not seen since the days of the Romans. One of the bloodiest and most decisive battles ever fought.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Balanced, Entertaining, and Informative History
- By Jefferson on 06-01-14
By: Marc Morris
-
If Walls Could Talk
- An Intimate History of the Home
- By: Lucy Worsley
- Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 412
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 362
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 361
Why did the flushing toilet take two centuries to catch on? Why did medieval people sleep sitting up? When were the two "dirty centuries?" Why did gas lighting cause Victorian ladies to faint? Why, for centuries, did rich people fear fruit?In her brilliantly and creatively researched book, Lucy Worsley takes us through the bedroom, bathroom, living room, and kitchen.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Compelling.
- By Kirsten on 06-05-12
By: Lucy Worsley
-
Capote's Women
- A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era
- By: Laurence Leamer
- Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 874
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 765
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 764
New York Times bestselling author Laurence Leamer reveals the complex web of relationships and scandalous true stories behind Truman Capote's never-published final novel, Answered Prayers—the dark secrets, tragic glamour, and Capote's ultimate betrayal of the group of female friends he called his "swans."
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
You need to know a bit about the players
- By Etoile NEOhio on 12-30-21
By: Laurence Leamer
Publisher's summary
The critically acclaimed author of Serving Victoria brilliantly illuminates the life of the little-known Bess of Hardwick - next to Queen Elizabeth I, the richest and most powerful woman in 16th-century England.
Aided by a quartet of judicious marriages and a shrewd head for business, Bess of Hardwick rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most respected and feared countesses in Elizabethan England - an entrepreneur who built a family fortune, created glorious houses - the last and greatest built as a widow in her 70s - and was deeply involved in matters of the court, including the custody of Mary Queen of Scots.
While Bess cultivated many influential courtiers, she also collected numerous enemies. Her embittered fourth husband once called her a woman of “devices and desires”, while 19th-century male historians portrayed her as a monster - "a woman of masculine understanding and conduct, proud, furious, selfish and unfeeling." In the 21st century, she has been neutered by female historians who recast her as a soft-hearted sort, much maligned, and misunderstood. As Kate Hubbard reveals, the truth of this highly accomplished woman lies somewhere in between: ruthless and scheming, Bess was sentimental and affectionate as well.
Hubbard draws on more than 230 of Bess' letters, including correspondence with the queen and her councilors, fond (and furious) missives between her husbands and children, and notes sharing titillating court gossip. The result is a rich, compelling portrait of a true feminist icon centuries ahead of her time - a complex, formidable, and decidedly modern woman captured in full as never before.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
More from the same
Related to this topic
-
Henry VIII: King and Court
- By: Alison Weir
- Narrated by: Phyllida Nash
- Length: 25 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 451
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 405
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 401
This magnificent biography of Henry VIII is set against the cultural, social and political background of his court - the most spectacular court ever seen in England - and the splendour of his many sumptuous palaces. An entertaining narrative packed with colourful description and a wealth of anecdotal evidence, but also a comprehensive analytical study of the development of both monarch and court during a crucial period in English history.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A concise focus with tremendous detail
- By kwdayboise (Kim Day) on 05-24-17
By: Alison Weir
-
Jane Boleyn
- The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford
- By: Julia Fox
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 129
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 76
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 77
In a life of extraordinary drama, Jane Boleyn was catapulted from relative obscurity to the inner circle of King Henry VIII. As powerful men and women around her became victims of Henry's ruthless and absolute power - including her own husband and sister-in-law Queen Anne Boleyn - Jane's allegiance to the volatile monarchy was sustained and rewarded. But the price for her loyalty would eventually be her undoing and the ruination of her name
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Nothing new here
- By Caroline on 02-22-08
By: Julia Fox
-
Young and Damned and Fair
- The Life of Catherine Howard, Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII
- By: Mr. Gareth Russell
- Narrated by: Jenny Funnell
- Length: 15 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 311
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 282
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 279
Written with an exciting combination of narrative flair and historical authority, this interpretation of the tragic life of Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII, breaks new ground in our understanding of the very young woman who became queen at a time of unprecedented social and political tension and whose terrible errors in judgment quickly led her to the executioner's block.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Magnifent scholarly work
- By Linda Erlich on 08-08-17
-
Behind the Throne
- A Domestic History of the British Royal Household
- By: Adrian Tinniswood
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 216
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 196
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 195
In Behind the Throne, historian Adrian Tinniswood uncovers the reality of five centuries of life at the English court, taking the listener on a remarkable journey from one Queen Elizabeth to another and exploring life as it was lived by clerks and courtiers and clowns and crowned heads: the power struggles and petty rivalries, the tension between duty and desire, the practicalities of cooking dinner for thousands and of ensuring the king always won when he played a game of tennis.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Very Worthwhile
- By G. Cole on 12-13-18
-
Mary Boleyn
- By: Alison Weir
- Narrated by: Maggie Mash
- Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 250
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 219
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 216
Mary Boleyn was the mistress of two kings, Francois I of France and Henry VIII of England, and sister to Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife. In this astonishing and riveting biography, Alison Weir’s extensive research gives a new and detailed portrayal, in which she recounts that, contrary to popular belief, Mary was entirely undeserving of her posthumous notoriety as a great whore.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Historiography not a bio
- By Mary Elizabeth Reynolds on 06-03-12
By: Alison Weir
-
Castles, Customs, and Kings
- True Tales by English Historical Fiction Authors
- By: Debra Brown, M.M. Bennetts
- Narrated by: Ruth Golding
- Length: 25 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 70
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 62
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 60
A compilation of essays from the English Historical Fiction Authors blog, this book provides a wealth of historical information from Roman Britain to early 20th-century England. Over 50 different authors share hundreds of real life stories and tantalizing tidbits discovered while doing research for their own historical novels.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Historical Tidbits
- By Troy on 08-03-15
By: Debra Brown, and others
-
Henry VIII: King and Court
- By: Alison Weir
- Narrated by: Phyllida Nash
- Length: 25 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 451
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 405
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 401
This magnificent biography of Henry VIII is set against the cultural, social and political background of his court - the most spectacular court ever seen in England - and the splendour of his many sumptuous palaces. An entertaining narrative packed with colourful description and a wealth of anecdotal evidence, but also a comprehensive analytical study of the development of both monarch and court during a crucial period in English history.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A concise focus with tremendous detail
- By kwdayboise (Kim Day) on 05-24-17
By: Alison Weir
-
Jane Boleyn
- The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford
- By: Julia Fox
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 129
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 76
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 77
In a life of extraordinary drama, Jane Boleyn was catapulted from relative obscurity to the inner circle of King Henry VIII. As powerful men and women around her became victims of Henry's ruthless and absolute power - including her own husband and sister-in-law Queen Anne Boleyn - Jane's allegiance to the volatile monarchy was sustained and rewarded. But the price for her loyalty would eventually be her undoing and the ruination of her name
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Nothing new here
- By Caroline on 02-22-08
By: Julia Fox
-
Young and Damned and Fair
- The Life of Catherine Howard, Fifth Wife of King Henry VIII
- By: Mr. Gareth Russell
- Narrated by: Jenny Funnell
- Length: 15 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 311
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 282
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 279
Written with an exciting combination of narrative flair and historical authority, this interpretation of the tragic life of Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII, breaks new ground in our understanding of the very young woman who became queen at a time of unprecedented social and political tension and whose terrible errors in judgment quickly led her to the executioner's block.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Magnifent scholarly work
- By Linda Erlich on 08-08-17
-
Behind the Throne
- A Domestic History of the British Royal Household
- By: Adrian Tinniswood
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 216
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 196
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 195
In Behind the Throne, historian Adrian Tinniswood uncovers the reality of five centuries of life at the English court, taking the listener on a remarkable journey from one Queen Elizabeth to another and exploring life as it was lived by clerks and courtiers and clowns and crowned heads: the power struggles and petty rivalries, the tension between duty and desire, the practicalities of cooking dinner for thousands and of ensuring the king always won when he played a game of tennis.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Very Worthwhile
- By G. Cole on 12-13-18
-
Mary Boleyn
- By: Alison Weir
- Narrated by: Maggie Mash
- Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 250
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 219
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 216
Mary Boleyn was the mistress of two kings, Francois I of France and Henry VIII of England, and sister to Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife. In this astonishing and riveting biography, Alison Weir’s extensive research gives a new and detailed portrayal, in which she recounts that, contrary to popular belief, Mary was entirely undeserving of her posthumous notoriety as a great whore.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Historiography not a bio
- By Mary Elizabeth Reynolds on 06-03-12
By: Alison Weir
-
Castles, Customs, and Kings
- True Tales by English Historical Fiction Authors
- By: Debra Brown, M.M. Bennetts
- Narrated by: Ruth Golding
- Length: 25 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 70
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 62
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 60
A compilation of essays from the English Historical Fiction Authors blog, this book provides a wealth of historical information from Roman Britain to early 20th-century England. Over 50 different authors share hundreds of real life stories and tantalizing tidbits discovered while doing research for their own historical novels.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Historical Tidbits
- By Troy on 08-03-15
By: Debra Brown, and others
-
Mary Queen of Scots
- By: Antonia Fraser
- Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
- Length: 25 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 99
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 86
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 85
Her royal birth gave her claim to the thrones of two nations; her marriage to the young French dauphin promised to place a third glorious crown on her noble head. Instead, Mary Stuart became the victim of her own impulsive heart, scandalizing her world with a foolish passion that would lead to abduction, rape, and even murder. Here is her story, a queen who lost a throne for love, a monarch pampered and adored even as she was led to her beheading, the unforgettable woman who became a legend for all time.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Shockingly disingenuous.
- By rainjade on 08-14-18
By: Antonia Fraser
-
Thomas Cromwell
- The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant
- By: Tracy Borman
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 14 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 485
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 441
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 440
Thomas Cromwell has long been reviled as a Machiavellian schemer who stopped at nothing in his quest for power. As Henry VIII's right-hand man, Cromwell was the architect of the English Reformation, secured Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon and plotted the downfall of Anne Boleyn, and upon his arrest, was accused of trying to usurp the King himself. But here Tracy Borman reveals a different side of one of the most notorious figures in history.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
narration is very well done & book is quite good
- By horoscopy on 02-18-15
By: Tracy Borman
-
Sister Queens
- The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile
- By: Julia Fox
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 216
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 193
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 190
The history books have cast Katherine of Aragon, the first queen of King Henry VIII of England, as the ultimate symbol of the Betrayed Woman, cruelly tossed aside in favor of her husband’s seductive mistress, Anne Boleyn. Katherine’s sister, Juana of Castile, wife of Philip of Burgundy and mother of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, is portrayed as “Juana the Mad,” whose erratic behavior included keeping her beloved late husband’s coffin beside her for years.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Sad but Fascinating Lives
- By Cariola on 06-29-12
By: Julia Fox
-
The Mistresses of Cliveden
- Three Centuries of Scandal, Power, and Intrigue in an English Stately Home
- By: Natalie Livingstone
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden
- Length: 17 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 141
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 124
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 122
Overlooking the Thames, the Cliveden mansion is flanked by two wings and surrounded by lavish gardens. Throughout its storied history, Cliveden has been a setting for misbehavior, intrigue, and passion - from its salacious, deadly beginnings in the 17th century to the 1960s Profumo affair, the sex scandal that toppled the British government. Now, in this immersive chronicle, the manor's current mistress, Natalie Livingstone, opens the doors to this prominent house and lets the walls do the talking.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
disappointed
- By Galina M. on 11-14-16
-
The House of Medici
- Its Rise and Fall
- By: Christopher Hibbert
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 147
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 134
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 134
This enthralling book charts the family's huge influence on the political, economic, and cultural history of Florence. Beginning in the early 1430s with the rise of the dynasty under the near-legendary Cosimo de Medici, it moves through their golden era as patrons of some of the most remarkable artists and architects of the Renaissance, to the era of the Medici Popes and Grand Dukes, Florence's slide into decay and bankruptcy, and the end, in 1737, of the Medici line.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Laundry list of names
- By Elizabeth W on 01-02-17
-
Winter King
- The Dawn of Tudor England
- By: Thomas Penn
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 620
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 554
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 551
A fresh look at the endlessly fascinating Tudors - the dramatic and overlooked story of Henry VII and his founding of the Tudor Dynasty - filled with spies, plots, counter-plots, and an uneasy royal succession to Henry VIII. Near the turn of the sixteenth century, England had been ravaged for decades by conspiracy and civil war. Henry Tudor clambered to the top of the heap, a fugitive with a flimsy claim to England’s crown who managed to win the throne and stay on it for 24 years.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent portrayal of a man and his time
- By E. Stein on 06-09-12
By: Thomas Penn
-
Tudor
- Passion. Manipulation. Murder. The Story of England's Most Notorious Royal Family
- By: Leanda de Lisle
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 16 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 108
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 97
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 97
The Tudors are England's most notorious royal family. But, as Leanda de Lisle's gripping new history reveals, they are a family still more extraordinary than the one we thought we knew. The Tudor canon typically starts with the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 before speeding on to Henry VIII and the Reformation. But this leaves out the family's obscure Welsh origins and the ordinary man known as Owen Tudor who would fall (literally) into a queen's lap - and later her bed.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Clear and detailed
- By Tad Davis on 04-13-16
By: Leanda de Lisle
-
Mary Queen of Scots
- The True Life of Mary Stuart
- By: John Guy
- Narrated by: Lucy Rayner
- Length: 25 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 300
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 270
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 268
In the first full-scale biography of Mary Stuart in more than 30 years, John Guy creates an intimate and absorbing portrait of one of history's most famous women, depicting her world and her place in the sweep of history with stunning immediacy. Bringing together all surviving documents and uncovering a trove of new sources for the first time, Guy dispels the popular image of Mary Queen of Scots as a romantic leading lady - achieving her ends through feminine wiles - and establishes her as the intellectual and political equal of Elizabeth I.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Horrible narration - don’t purchase
- By ballymerrigan on 12-27-18
By: John Guy
-
Marie Antoinette
- The Journey
- By: Antonia Fraser
- Narrated by: Donada Peters
- Length: 20 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 559
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 393
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 394
France's iconic queen, Marie Antoinette, wrongly accused of uttering the infamous "Let them eat cake", was alternately revered and reviled during her lifetime. For centuries since, she has been the object of debate, speculation, and the fascination so often accorded illustrious figures in history. Married in mere girlhood, this essentially lighthearted child was thrust onto the royal stage and commanded by circumstance to play a significant role in European history.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Annoying Narration
- By LaFemmeRouge on 10-28-06
By: Antonia Fraser
-
Crown of Blood
- The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey
- By: Nicola Tallis
- Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
- Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 259
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 230
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 227
"Good people, I am come hither to die, and by a law I am condemned to the same." These were the heartbreaking words of a 17-year-old girl, Lady Jane Grey, as she stood on the scaffold awaiting death on a cold February morning in 1554. Minutes later, her head was struck from her body with a single stroke of a heavy ax. Her death for high treason sent shock waves through the Tudor world and served as a gruesome reminder to all who aspired to a crown that the ax could fall at any time.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Brilliantly Compelling
- By J.Brock on 11-26-19
By: Nicola Tallis
-
God's Traitors
- Terror & Faith in Elizabethan England
- By: Jessie Childs
- Narrated by: James Adams
- Length: 14 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 35
For many Catholics, the Elizabethan "Golden Age" was an alien concept. Following the criminalization of their religion by Elizabeth I, nearly 200 Catholics were executed, and many more wasted away in prison during her reign. Torture was used more than at any other time in England's history. While some bowed to the pressure of the government and new church, publicly conforming to acts of Protestant worship, others did not - and quickly found themselves living in a state of siege.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Well-researched, well-written
- By Charles on 03-23-15
By: Jessie Childs
-
The Turbulent Crown
- The Story of the Tudor Queens
- By: Roland Hui
- Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
- Length: 22 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 120
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 102
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 101
Ten remarkable women. One remarkable era. In the Tudor period, 1485 to 1603, a host of fascinating women sat on the English throne. The dramatic events of their lives are told in The Turbulent Crown: The Story of the Tudor Queens.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
a very good listen
- By Evil Guppy on 09-21-19
By: Roland Hui
What listeners say about Devices and Desires
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Donald S. Grove
- 03-02-24
Great content, horrible ai generated readin
The actual book is terrific and quite interesting. But it's pretty obvious that they didn't hire someone yo actually read the book. They sampled the reader's voice, and not very thoroughly. The end result is that every single sentence has exactly the same inflection. Terrible. They also didn't bother to check pronunciation so some names and places are pronounced absurdly. Amazon is so determined to reduce basic expenses, to boost profits they can't even lay for some one to read the whole book or check the ai generated mispronunciation. Pathetic and disappointing.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!